Generation of a three-dimensional virtual reality environment from a business process model

ABSTRACT

A method and computer program product for generating a three-dimensional virtual reality environment from a business process model in a computer system are provided. The method includes analyzing a business process model to identify a plurality of activities and at least one transition criterion between the plurality of activities, where the business process model is unbounded to a physical implementation. The method also includes transforming the business process model into a three-dimensional virtual reality environment with virtual physical constraints, including a plurality of virtual rooms representing the plurality of activities and one or more virtual access points to the virtual rooms representing the at least one transition criterion. The method further includes outputting the three-dimensional virtual reality environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to computer-based generation of athree-dimensional virtual reality environment, and particularly togenerating a three-dimensional virtual reality environment from abusiness process model.

2. Description of Background

Business processes can be modeled using several techniques, includingformal techniques like Business Process Management Notation (BPMN) oractivity diagrams in Unified Modeling Language (UML), and informaltechniques using graphical drawing programs. Business processes aretypically represented using nodes and arcs connecting the nodes. In mostcases, nodes represent activities of the business process and arcsrepresent transitions used to describe the flow of the process bylinking the activities in the order they should be executed. However, insome cases arcs are used to represent work that needs to be done, andnodes provide the order in which the work needs to be done to accomplishthe business process. The business process model may require humanparticipation for some of its activities to be completed, or may notrequire any human participation because the activities are fullyautomated by either computer applications or other types of machines. Inmost cases, a combination of automatic and human activities is used.Other business process modeling concepts like condition nodes and eventscan always be mapped to activities and arcs, so for the purpose of thisapplication only activities and arcs will be used.

Virtual Reality (VR) describes a computer technology that allows humansto interact with a computer via a simulated environment. Most VRenvironments provide sensorial information such as sounds and visualexperiences via computer interfaces (e.g., speakers, headphones,computer screen, stereoscopic technology, etc.), typically in threedimensions (3-D). VR environments are interactive through a variety ofinputs, such as a keyboard, mouse, or glove.

Business processes are often difficult for humans to visualize,particularly when the business processes do not map directly to aphysical implementation, such as a production line. Using a 3-D VRenvironment to visualize a business process that is unbounded to aphysical implementation would be beneficial to simplify validation,simulation, execution, and monitoring of the business process.Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method to generate a 3-DVR environment from a business process model.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantagesare provided through the provision of a method for generating athree-dimensional virtual reality environment from a business processmodel in a computer system. The method includes analyzing a businessprocess model to identify a plurality of activities and at least onetransition criterion between the plurality of activities, where thebusiness process model is unbounded to a physical implementation. Themethod also includes transforming the business process model into athree-dimensional virtual reality environment with virtual physicalconstraints, including a plurality of virtual rooms representing theplurality of activities and one or more virtual access points to thevirtual rooms representing the at least one transition criterion. Themethod further includes outputting the three-dimensional virtual realityenvironment.

A computer program product corresponding to the above-summarized methodis also described and claimed herein.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniquesof the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the inventionare described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimedinvention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantagesand features, refer to the description and to the drawings.

TECHNICAL EFFECT

As a result of the summarized invention, technically we have achieved asolution which generates a three-dimensional virtual reality environmentfrom a business process model.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, andadvantages of the invention are apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a computer system for generating a 3-D VRenvironment from a business process model;

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a 2-D business process model transformedinto a 3-D VR environment; and

FIG. 3 depicts a process for generating a 3-D VR environment from abusiness process model in accordance with exemplary embodiments.

The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of theinvention, together with advantages and features, by way of example withreference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments, as shown and described by the various figures andthe accompanying text, provide a method and computer program product forgenerating a three-dimensional (3-D) virtual reality (VR) environmentfrom a business process model. VR technology can be used to validate,simulate, execute, and monitor a business process. A variety of VRenvironments may be generated from a business process model. In these VRenvironments an activity can be represented by a virtual room, andtransitions between activities can be represented by virtual corridors,virtual doors, or virtual windows connecting the virtual rooms. Atransformation algorithm can be used to generate the 3-D VR environmentfrom a graph representing the business process model. The graph can be aBPMN graph, an UML activity diagram, or any other business process modelgraph. The graph can include multiple nodes connected by one or morearcs. In the case that nodes represent activities, then those nodes arerepresented as virtual rooms, and the arcs connecting the nodes arerepresented as virtual corridors, virtual doors, or virtual windowsconnecting the virtual rooms. In the case in which arcs representactivities, then the arcs become virtual rooms and the nodes become thevirtual corridors, virtual doors, or virtual windows connecting therooms. In exemplary embodiments, the virtual corridors provide a virtualpathway to connect virtual rooms, while the virtual doors serve asvirtual access barriers in response to satisfying one or more transitioncriterion to enter or exit a virtual room. The virtual windows can alsoserve as virtual access barriers in response to satisfying one or moretransition criterion to enter or exit a virtual room via the virtualwindows.

A mapping algorithm can be used to transform a 2-D business processmodel to a 3-D VR environment. Activities become virtual rooms,independent of their representation as nodes or arcs. Transitions becomevirtual access points to the virtual rooms, independent of theirrepresentation as arcs or nodes. Virtual access points can be embodiedas virtual corridors, virtual doors, or virtual windows connecting thevirtual rooms, while maintaining the activity and transition criteriaconstraints of the 2-D business process model. Thus, the 3-D VRenvironment establishes virtual physical constraints on movement in avirtual world from the physically unbounded 2-D business process model.

A user can annotate the 2-D business process model to describe some ofthe VR characteristics of the activities and transitions. For example,the user may designate a particular transition to generate a virtualcorridor, and some other transition to be a virtual door. In addition,the way a process starts or finish may be designated using other VRobjects. For example, a trash bin can be used to represent rejecting anapplication (e.g., in a loan approval process).

Executing a business process as used herein is a generic term that hastwo meanings. It can refer to a particular instantiation of a businessprocess, for example, in a loan approval process, referring to loanapplication number 132785. However, it can also refer to all theexecuting instances of the business process, for example, all loanapplications. The present invention is applicable to both meanings. Inthe VR environment a process instance may be represented by an object.The object can be a piece of paper, a person, or any other suitableobject to represent a single process instance. Further details regardinggeneration of a 3-D VR environment from a business process model areprovided herein.

Turning now to the drawings, it will be seen that in FIG. 1 there is ablock diagram of a system 100 for generating a 3-D VR environment from abusiness process model that is implemented in accordance with exemplaryembodiments. The system 100 of FIG. 1 includes a host system 102 incommunication with a user interface 104 and a data storage device 106.The host system 102 may be any type of computer system known in the art.For example, the host system 102 can be a desktop computer, a laptopcomputer, a general-purpose computer, a mainframe computer, or anembedded computer (e.g., a computer within a wireless device). Inexemplary embodiments, the host system 102 executes computer readableprogram code. While only a single host system 102 is shown in FIG. 1, itwill be understood that multiple host systems can be implemented, eachin communication with one another via direct coupling or via one or morenetworks. For example, multiple host systems 102 may be interconnectedthrough a distributed network architecture. The single host system 102may also represent a server in a client-server architecture.

In exemplary embodiments, the host system 102 includes at least oneprocessing circuit (e.g., CPU 108) and volatile memory (e.g., RAM 110).The CPU 108 may be any processing circuit technology known in the art,including for example, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logicdevice (PLD), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a multi-core/chipmodule (MCM). The RAM 110 represents any volatile memory or registertechnology that does not retain its contents through a power/depowercycle, which can be used for holding dynamically loaded applicationprograms and data structures. The RAM 110 may comprise multiple memorybanks partitioned for different purposes, such as data cache, programinstruction cache, and temporary storage for various data structures andexecutable instructions. It will be understood that the host system 102also includes other computer system resources known in the art, and notdepicted, such as one of more power supplies, clocks, interfacingcircuitry, communication links, and peripheral components or subsystems.

The user interface 104 includes a combination of input and outputdevices for interfacing with the host system 102. For example, userinterface 104 inputs can include a keyboard, a keypad, a touch sensitivescreen for inputting alphanumerical information, a VR glove, amotion-sensing device, a camera, a microphone, or any other devicecapable of producing input to the host system 102. Similarly, the userinterface 104 outputs can include a monitor, a terminal, a liquidcrystal display (LCD), stereoscopic technology, speakers, headphones, orany other device capable of outputting visual and/or audio informationfrom the host system 102.

The data storage device 106 refers to any type of storage and maycomprise a secondary storage element, e.g., hard disk drive, tape, or astorage subsystem that is internal or external to the host system 102.In alternate exemplary embodiments, the data storage device 106 includesone or more solid-state devices, such as ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flashmemory, NOVRAM or any other electric, magnetic, optical or combinationmemory device capable of storing data (i.e., a storage medium), some ofwhich represent executable instructions for the CPU 108. It will beunderstood that the data storage device 106 shown in FIG. 1 is providedfor purposes of simplification and ease of explanation and is not to beconstrued as limiting in scope. To the contrary, there may be multipledata storage devices 106 utilized by the host system 102.

In exemplary embodiments, the host system 102 executes a businessprocess model transformation tool (BPMTT) 112. The host system 102 mayalso execute other applications, operating systems, and the like. TheBPMTT 112 accesses the data storage device 106 to analyze a 2-D businessprocess model 114. The 2-D business process model 114 may includemultiple nodes interconnected by arcs to model a business process thatis unbounded to a physical implementation. The BPMTT 112 analyzesactivities and transitions in the 2-D business process model 114 andtransforms each activity and transition into virtual physical structuresin a 3-D VR environment 116. The 3-D VR environment 116 is stored on thedata storage device 106, and can be output to the user interface 104. Inalternate exemplary embodiments, the 3-D VR environment 116 is notstored on the data storage device 106, but directly executed on the hostsystem 102.

A graphical example of generating a 3-D VR environment from a 2-Dbusiness process model is depicted in FIG. 2. Graphical 2-D businessprocess model 200 represents a process for loan application processing,which is not limited to a particular physical implementation. Thegraphical 2-D business process model 200 includes a process start node202, e.g., an e-mail request initiating the process. An arc 204transitions unconditionally to a review application for completenessnode 206. Upon completion of the activity in the review application forcompleteness node 206, an arc 208 transitions unconditionally to a checkcredit report node 210. The activity in the check credit report node 210can result in multiple outcomes. If the credit report is bad, a badcredit arc 212 transitions to a management review node 214. If thecredit report is good, a good credit arc 216 may transition to anapproval decision node 218. Alternatively, the check credit report node210 can transition via a good and pre-approved customer arc 220 to acreate account node 222, bypassing the approval decision node 218.Returning to the management review node 214, a rejection arc 224transitions to a termination node 226. If the management review issuccessful in the management review node 214, an OK arc 228 transitionsto the approval decision node 218. At the approval decision node 218, arejection arc 230 transitions to the termination node 226. Conversely,if the approval occurs, then the approval decision node 218 transitionsvia an approve arc 232 to the create account node 222. The createaccount node 222 transitions unconditionally via arc 234 to a processfinish node 236, which may generate a confirmation e-mail.

In an exemplary embodiment, the graphical 2-D business process model 200represents a graphical version of the 2-D business process model 114 ofFIG. 1 upon which the BPMTT 112 may perform a transformation to the 3-DVR environment 116. A top view of a resulting graphical 3-D VRenvironment 250 is depicted in FIG. 2, as generated from the graphical2-D business process model 200 using the BPMTT 112 of FIG. 1. In anexemplary embodiment, the BPMTT 112 converts each node and arc elementin the graphical 2-D business process model 200 into virtual rooms andvirtual access points to the virtual rooms in the graphical 3-D VRenvironment 250. For example, the process start node 202 and arc 204transitioning unconditionally to the review application for completenessnode 206 are condensed into a virtual start process door 252 to enter areview application for completeness virtual room 254. A user maneuveringthrough the graphical 3-D VR environment 250 is constrained by virtualwalls 253, acting as virtual physical constraints, and must thereforesatisfy any transition criteria to advance through a virtual accesspoint into or out of a virtual room.

Once activity in the review application for completeness virtual room254 is complete, the user can advance through a virtual door 256 to acheck credit report virtual room 258, which maps to the arc 208transitioning unconditionally to the check credit report node 210.Similarly, the bad credit arc 212 transitioning to the management reviewnode 214 maps to a bad credit virtual door 260 providing access to amanagement review virtual room 262. The good credit arc 216transitioning to the approval decision node 218 maps to a good creditvirtual door 264 connecting via a virtual corridor 266 to an approvaldecision virtual room 268. The virtual corridor 266 may be used as abuffer area to increase separation between virtual rooms and supportcomplex pathways as additional virtual rooms are added. The good andpre-approved customer arc 220 transitioning to the create account node222 maps to a good and pre-approved customer virtual door 270 foraccessing a create account virtual room 272.

Returning to the management review virtual room 262, rejection arc 224transitioning to the termination node 226 can be represented as avirtual reject bin 274. The OK arc 228 transitioning to the approvaldecision node 218 maps to an OK virtual door 276 connecting via avirtual corridor 278 to the approval decision virtual room 268. Therejection arc 230 transitioning to the termination node 226 maps to avirtual reject bin 280 in the approval decision virtual room 268. Uponapproval, the approve arc 232 transitioning to the create account node222 maps to an approve virtual door 282 connecting via a virtualcorridor 284 to the create account virtual room 272. The create accountnode 222 transitioning unconditionally via the arc 234 to the processfinish node 236 maps to a process finish virtual door 286 to exit thecreate account virtual room 272. Although no virtual windows aredepicted in the graphical 3-D VR environment 250, virtual windows can beadded or the BPMTT 112 configured to convert one or more of the virtualaccess points to a virtual window.

A generated 3-D VR environment, such as the 3-D VR environment 116 ofFIG. 1, can be used in several ways, such as business processvalidation, simulation, execution, and monitoring. In business processvalidation, a user can navigate (walk, fly, etc.) the 3-D VR environmentvisiting the different activities (virtual rooms) and looking at VRrepresentations of the type of work that must be done at that activity.By navigating the 3-D VR environment, the user may discover how easy orhard it will be to execute the business process. The user can apply thisknowledge to redesign the business process model.

In business process simulation, the user can see a simulation of thebusiness process executing by having virtual humans or machines in eachvirtual room simulating the work needs to be completed in that activity.The user observing the simulation can observe the simulation from adistance or navigate the generated 3-D VR environment while thesimulation is executing to see how the business process will beperformed. The user can apply this knowledge to redesign the businessprocess model.

Although a business process does not need to be executed in a 3-D VRenvironment to tale advantage of the present invention, users may enterthe 3-D VR environment to execute the business process, or assign aparticular virtual room to perform work for an activity of the businessprocess. There are several VR interaction and collaboration technologiesknown in the art that can be used to complete the work for an activityin a virtual room. Some virtual rooms may include more than one userparticipating in the activity. Any VR work and collaboration techniquesknown in the art can be used to allow users to do their work for thespecific activity in each virtual room.

While a business process is being executed (in a 3-D VR environment orotherwise) a VR environment representing the business process can beupdated to show the current state of the business process. This allows auser to observe in real time or near real time the progress of thebusiness process. This is similar to simulating a business process in aVR environment; however, the presented data comes from real activitiesinstead of simulated activities.

Any VR technique used to represent data, manipulate data, and interactwith a 3-D VR environment known in the art can be used in conjunctionwith the present invention. In the cases in which the business processdoes not contain any human activities, and so, no human collaboration isrequired in the 3-D VR environment, business process validation,simulation, and monitoring may still be performed.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a process 300 for generating a 3-D VR environmentfrom a business process model will now be described in accordance withexemplary embodiments, and in reference to the system 100 of FIG. 1. Auser can initiate the BPMTT 112 to perform the process 300 on the hostsystem 102 via the user interface 104 of FIG. 1. At block 302, the BPMTT112 analyzes the 2-D business process model 114 to identify multipleactivities and at least one transition criterion between the activities,where the 2-D business process model 114 is unbounded to a physicalimplementation. The 2-D business process model 114 can be constructed ofgraphical elements, such as nodes and arcs, as depicted in the graphical2-D business process model 200 of FIG. 2. The activities in the 2-Dbusiness process model 114 may be represented as nodes, while the one ormore transition criteria are represented as arcs, or vice versa.

At block 304, the BPMTT 112 transforms the 2-D business process model114 into the 3-D VR environment 116 with virtual physical constraints,including multiple virtual rooms to representing the activities and oneor more virtual access points to the virtual rooms representing thetransition criteria. The virtual access points can include one or morevirtual corridors, virtual doors, or virtual windows. For example, thetransformation can be as depicted graphically in FIG. 2 to generate thegraphical 3-D VR environment 250, of which a top view is depicted.

At block 306, the BPMTT 112 outputs the 3-D VR environment 116. Theoutput may be to the data storage device 106 and/or to the userinterface 104, enabling a user to interact with the 3-D VR environment116.

The transformation of a business process model into one or more 3-D VRenvironments by using virtual rooms for activities in which one or moreusers may interact to accomplish a task, and virtual corridors, virtualdoors, or virtual windows for transitions connecting the activities canmake it is easier for a user to understand, validate, simulate, execute,and monitor the business process. In addition, it is easier for the userto describe the business process to other users by navigating (e.g.,walking or flying) through the 3-D VR environment. While otherconversion tools may convert a 2-D physical model by simply adding athird dimension (e.g., a production line in a factory building), thepresent invention generates a 3-D VR environment from a 2-D businessprocess model that is not physically constrained to a particularlocation (e.g., new account creation). Thus, a more concrete andtangible appearance is given to a business process that is otherwiseunconstrained by physical boundaries.

The capabilities of the present invention can be implemented insoftware, firmware, hardware or some combination thereof.

As one example, one or more aspects of the present invention can beincluded in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computerprogram products) having, for instance, computer usable media. The mediahas embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program code meansfor providing and facilitating the capabilities of the presentinvention. The article of manufacture can be included as a part of acomputer system or sold separately.

Additionally, at least one program storage device readable by a machine,tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable bythe machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can beprovided.

The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be manyvariations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) describedtherein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Forinstance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps maybe added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered apart of the claimed invention.

While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, itwill be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in thefuture, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall withinthe scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construedto maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.

1. A method for generating a three-dimensional virtual realityenvironment from a business process model in a computer system, themethod comprising: analyzing a business process model to identify aplurality of activities and at least one transition criterion betweenthe plurality of activities, wherein the business process model isunbounded to a physical implementation; transforming the businessprocess model into a three-dimensional virtual reality environment withvirtual physical constraints, including a plurality of virtual roomsrepresenting the plurality of activities and one or more virtual accesspoints to the virtual rooms representing the at least one transitioncriterion; and outputting the three-dimensional virtual realityenvironment.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more virtualaccess points include one or more of: a virtual corridor, a virtualdoor, and a virtual window.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the virtualcorridor provides a virtual pathway to connect two or more of thevirtual rooms, and the virtual door or the virtual window provides avirtual access barrier to enter or exit one or more of the virtual roomsin response to the at least one transition criterion.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the business process model is a two-dimensional businessprocess model including a plurality of nodes connected by at least onearc, the nodes representing the activities and the at least one arcrepresenting the at least one transition criterion.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the business process model is a two-dimensional businessprocess model including a plurality of arcs connected to at least onenode, the arcs representing the activities and the at least one noderepresenting the at least one transition criterion.
 6. A computerprogram product for generating a three-dimensional virtual realityenvironment from a business process model, the computer program productcomprising: a storage medium readable by a processing circuit andstoring instructions for execution by the processing circuit forimplementing a method, the method comprising: analyzing a businessprocess model to identify a plurality of activities and at least onetransition criterion between the plurality of activities, wherein thebusiness process model is unbounded to a physical implementation;transforming the business process model into a three-dimensional virtualreality environment with virtual physical constraints, including aplurality of virtual rooms representing the plurality of activities andone or more virtual access points to the virtual rooms representing theat least one transition criterion; and outputting the three-dimensionalvirtual reality environment.